EIS document available for review

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced last week the availability of a final environmental impact statement on a plan that outlines forest management practices on state trust lands.

The document includes a habitat conservation plan, which outlines those practices as well as conserving habitat for three species threatened under the Endangered Species Act (grizzly bear, Canada lynx and bull trout) and two unlisted species (westlope cutthroat trout and Columbia redband trout).

The plan describes how Montana DNRC would handle impacts to those species. The EIS portion of the document analyzes different alternatives on various resources throughout western Montana.

The public is invited to review the document during a 30-day period from that extends until Oct. 17. The document is available online at www.dnrc.mt.gov/HCP, by sending an e-mail to dnrchcp@mt.gov, or by calling 406-542-4300. Locally, it is available for viewing at the Libby Library.